(April 20, 2025) As a child growing up in a village in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Kesava Reddy Mannur loved playing with his friends. Like most boys his age, the happy-go-lucky lad had no ambition, no big dream. But that changed the day he came across an article in The Readers Digest about Dr Christiaan Barnard, the South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant in 1967.
Dr Barnard’s incredible journey fascinated the youngster — paving the way for new and effective treatments for diabesity (diabetes and obesity). “It is not about merely providing treatment, I wanted to make a significant impact on the lives of people through my approach,” Dr Kesava Reddy Mannur tells Global Indian.
A global pioneer in metabolic surgeries to treat diabesity, Dr Kesava Reddy earned wide respect in the United Kingdom and rest of the world for his unique and patient-first approach to medicine. “Knowing the patient’s complete history, right from their childhood, is crucial for me. I spend considerable amount of time with them,” says Dr Kesava Reddy, who has performed over 7,500 surgeries.
Dr Kesava Reddy
He holds ‘The First Mover Advantage,’ being one of the first surgeons in the UK to perform complex surgeries to get patients overcome obesity and associated diseases. “I live in the present, focus on work at hand instead of worrying what might happen. This mental make up has led me perform the most complicated surgeries successfully,” he says.
Having spent 42 years in the UK, where he performed a wide range of surgeries and trained doctors from all over the world, Dr Kesava Reddy recently returned to Hyderabad to serve the people back home. He joined the KIMS hospital as the Clinical Director of Metabolic & Bariatric surgery. “I love to take up new challenges and enable people lead healthy lives,” says the member of BOMSS – British Obesity and Metabolic Surgical Society.
Known for performing a wide range of surgeries – from bariatric and revisional surgeries to gallbladder, reflux, hernia and major gastrointestinal surgeries- Dr Kesava Reddy is the man behind the launch of the bariatric surgery at Royal London Hospital in 1998. He went onto establish bariatric surgery centre at Homerton University Hospital, London in 2003, making it into one of the biggest and well known units in the UK.
Pioneering Bariatric Surgery and Global Collaboration at Homerton
After setting up the bariatric centre at Homerton University Hospital, Dr Kesava Reddy was on call 24/7. “Back then, no one really knew how to handle post-surgery issues – it was all new,” recalls Dr Reddy, who operated on members of two royal families and five powerful individuals in UK.
In no time, Dr Reddy started to perform major procedures like laparoscopic bariatric surgery among others in Homerton. Beyond his hospital, he often assisted colleagues at St Bartholomew hospital with laparoscopic urology surgeries. “I would also visit other hospitals to help the gynaecologists when they were in trouble or when they were doing major laparoscopic surgeries,” says the renowned doctor, who regularly visited Germany to collaborate on medical innovations with Professor Annette Fritcher-Ravens, a gastroenterologist at New Victoria Hospital.
In 2011, Dr. Reddy began organising renowned bariatric surgery symposiums at Homerton Hospital, bringing together top surgeons from around the world. Together, they conducted live demonstrations of all types of bariatric procedures for UK surgeons. “These symposiums became so popular that doctors from across the globe started to actively participate – everyone wanted to learn and grow together,” says the renowned medical professional, who was honoured at a private dinner at the House of Lords in 2018.
Tackling Diabesity and Advancing Laparoscopic Surgery at Royal London
At Royal London Hospital, Dr Reddy saw a growing number of patients struggling with diabesity. Professor Peter Kopelman, a leading researcher in diabetes and obesity, was running an obesity clinic but could not manage the influx of large number of patients with complex medical conditions. Dr. Reddy stepped in, and his procedures gave many patients — some of whom were bedridden — a chance at a normal life again.
“In the early 1990s, I worked with Professor Oliver McAnena, a luminary in the field of surgery, to develop advanced laparoscopic techniques,” informs Dr Reddy, well known for performing laparoscopic oesophagectomy and gastrectomy at The Royal London hospital.
Starting as a junior under stalwarts in surgery like Professor Leslie Hughes, David Crosby, Professor Solomon, Oliver McAnena among others, Dr Reddy’s hard work, empathy and keen sense of observation soon earned him a place among them. He rose to become a senior lecturer and consultant surgeon, building not just surgical expertise but a thriving practice – both within the NHS and privately across the UK.
Innovating Surgery and Mentoring Across Borders
Dr Kesava Reddy is credited with constantly innovating techniques while also mentoring young doctors across the UK, Middle East, and India. Always looking to raise the bar, he often demonstrated his techniques by performing live surgeries alongside top surgeons from the US and Europe — giving trainees at all levels a chance to learn from real-time procedures.
His areas of specialisation include metabolic and weight loss surgery, revisional surgeries for weight gain, hiatus hernia and gastro-oesophageal reflux GORD/heartburn surgery, gallbladder surgery for gallstones and cholecystitis, hernia repair, and both laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. He also routinely performs gastroscopies and endoscopic dilatations.
From Nellore to Madras: Early Promise to Surgical Excellence
Born in 1954 in Pedda Karampalli village in Mannuru of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh, Dr Kesava Reddy studied at a small primary school just across from his home. Even at a young age, his talent stood out.
When six year old Kesava was in the third standard, his teacher Venkata Raju noticed that he was well ahead of his classmates. “He prepared me for the entrance to the Zilla Parishad higher secondary school in Rajampet, the only school in the whole region. I ranked third in the exam and was placed directly to Class 6,” he reveals. He went on to study in Tirupati, where he developed a strong interest in Maths and English, subjects in which he consistently excelled.
In 1977, he joined Madras Medical College. “Professor Saratchandra and Professor Victor Solomon inspired me into becoming a skilled surgeon. I spent most of my time with the patients – that’s where I learned the most,” recalls Dr Reddy, who was an examiner for MBBS in UK apart from bariatric fellowships.
Gruelling Training Years in Cardiff After Madras Medical College
After completing his medical degree from Madras Medical College in 1980, Dr Kesava Reddy moved to the UK to continue training at the University college of Wales, Cardiff.
“My time at the university was gruelling. Being on call could mean staying in the hospital for two days — sometimes even two weeks — without going home. You just didn’t say ‘no’ to your seniors back then,” smiles Dr Reddy.
Breaking Barriers and Pioneering Laparoscopic Surgery in the UK
When Dr Reddy began his career in the UK, his medical training from Indian wasn’t taken seriously. He had to start from the scratch and earn his place in every hospital he worked in. “Every time I moved to a different hospital or a team, I had to constantly prove myself. The hospital consultants expected foreigners doctors like us to do the heavy lifting but didn’t want us to evolve as full-fledged consultants,” says Dr Reddy.
At job interviews, one question came up often: “When do you plan to go back to your country?” Dr. Reddy’s reply was always the same: “When I can perform a surgery better.” He took every opportunity as a learning experience.
Dr Reddy was never afraid to take up new challenges in the medical field and that was precisely the reason he started practising laparoscopic surgery in 1990, a time when it was still rare in the UK. He went on to take up laparoscopic bariatric surgery in 1998, long before it became mainstream. His pioneering work didn’t go unnoticed. Professor Norman Williams, a renowned surgeon, once introduced him to a team from Mayo’s Institute as “the wizard in laparoscopic surgery.”
Championing Patient-Centric Care and Surgical Protocols
What truly sets Dr Kesava Reddy apart is his patient-first approach. “I am available for my patients whenever they need me – no matter how complex the case,” says Dr Reddy, who even introduced new protocols for pre and post-operative care in the institutions he worked at – many of which were later adopted by other hospitals.
On India’s obesity crisis
So where does India stand today when it comes to obesity and related ailments?
India has the highest rate of diabetes and the third- highest rate of obesity in the world. “Patients with extreme obesity and associated diseases should keep the option of surgery open to save their lives. Others need to lose weight through diet and regular exercise.”
He feels lifestyle changes should be inculcated in children early – in schools. “Government should provide safe and free access to parks, exercise areas, walking paths and sporting areas,” he suggests. His dietary advice is simple: cut down on carbohydrates like rice, wheat, pasta, and sweets — and replace them with millets.
Dr. Reddy is also a strong advocate for policy-level changes. He calls sugar a killer and wants India to introduce a sugar tax, just like the UK has.
A Lifelong Commitment to Healing, Teaching, and Integrity
As a medical professional, Dr. Kesava Reddy has set four clear goals for himself: excellence in surgical skill, integrity, empathy and patient care, and passing on surgical knowledge to the next generation.
From a small village in Andhra Pradesh to leading operating rooms in the UK, Dr. Kesava Reddy’s journey has been built on hard work, learning, and care. Whether it’s training young doctors, developing new surgical methods, or supporting his patients through tough times, he has always focused on doing what’s right over seeking recognition. For him, medicine isn’t just a job — it’s a lifelong promise to heal, teach, and lead with integrity.
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